Plea in Mathura court seeks nod for Hindus to offer prayers at Shahi Idgah

A plea has been filed before a court in Mathura seeking permission to allow Hindu devotees to offer prayers at the Shahi Idgah complex that it claimed was built on the land which is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna and where a temple had existed.

With this, the number of suits filed in the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah case, in different courts of Mathura, has gone up to 15.

"The new suit has been filed by Supreme Court advocate and Delhi resident Hari Shankar Jain who along with some others are the petitioners. The next hearing on the matter has been fixed on May 25," district government counsel Sanjai Gaur said.

The plea has made secretary of the Shahi Idgah, the chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board Lucknow, the managing trustee of the Srikrishna Janmabhumi Trust and the secretary of the Srikrishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan parties in the case.

Jain told reporters in Mathura on Wednesday that it has been requested in the petition to pass an order that devotees have the right to pay their obeisance at the birthplace of Lord Krishna situated within the Idgah premises.

He said the petition has also sought that the trust of the Shahi Idgah remove structures made over the area.